By Xavier Vavasseur
During the Surface Navy Association's (SNA) National Symposium held
last week near Washington DC, Juliet Marine Systems (JMS) was showcasing
a scale model of its newly introduced Sentry small-waterplane-area twin
hull (SWATH) unmanned surface vehicle (USV). Navy Recognition
learned at the show that the US company is in discussions with Japan
for a possible Sentry procurement.

Sentry USV scale model on JMS stand during SNA 2016

Based
on the manned GHOST reconfigurable high-speed SWATH vessel, Sentry is
a highly stable USV designed to perform patrol duty for strategic assets
such as oil and gas wells, ports and ships. According to JMS, it is an
ideal platform for information, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
missions. Sentry is the only fully stable small craft under 10 tons that
has the capability to remain operational in sea states no other unmanned
or manned vessel of similar size can tolerate.

Gregory Sancoff, President and CEO of JMS told Navy Recognition
during the show "We are talking to Japan for about 20 Sentry
USVs. They would be ideal for patrol and surveillance missions in Japanese
coastal area". According to Sancoff, JMS recently discussed
with South Korean and Israeli officials as well, but regarding the manned
GHOST vessel. The GHOST is fitted with a modular mission payload bay with
numerous military configuration options. JMS CEO showed us scale model
of GHOST fitted with 47 vertical launch tubes for the Lockheed Martin
Nemesis missile. He said Lockheed and JMS have worked together on missile
integration for the GHOST platform. The Sentry USV is fitted with a similar
modular mission payload bay.

The Senstry USV has a top speed of 35 to 40 knots, a range of 1,070 nautical
miles at 15 knots and an endurance of over 30 days. Its payload is 3,000
to 5,000 pounds and it remains operational up to sea state 4. JMS CEO
told us the entire system, and even the automation software is fully designed
in house.

In a press release, Sancoff stated "Sentry is the only known
platform that will be able to perform missions in high sea states. All
unmanned surface boats being used today have the fatal flaw of losing
situational awareness in rough seas. An unmanned boat on an escort mission
loses situational awareness as the seas are elevated to 3 feet. Its elevated
sensors cannot operate in rough sea state, and the unmanned vessel loses
situational awareness, resulting in a re-acquire behavior that results
in vehicle vulnerability as it is doing circles in the ocean. Using the
SWATH hull design, JMS set out to develop technology that allows the small
GHOST Sentry platform to perform like a very large ship, always providing
the stability needed to deploy sensors and weapons, and therefore operable
and effective in rough weather that keeps other vessels in port."